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thanks for all your support

Hi everyone!
This website has been a big help during my recovery from my 1st PM. I knew no one who I felt shared my experience, until I met you all.
Now at 11-weeks post-PM, I barely notice it during the course of the day. Man, am I grateful to be able to say that!
Maybe because I'm too skinny, but I thought the feeling of it "digging into my chest" with arm movements I do all day at work would never go away! Now it's cool.
I figure I owe it to the "newbies" to say, han...

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pain weights

I do have osteoporosis and would like to know if their are any light weight upper body exercises I could do without bothering my pm which is not quite three months old. Also, do any of you get slight pain in the pacemaker site occasionally or when you are anxious about anything at all? Would love your input... thanks... aldeer

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Guns n' Roses

Reading an aricle today about the new autobiography by former Guns n' Roses guitarist Slash (called "Slash") in which it mentions that he's been fitted with an ICD. Aparrently his heart stopped for eight minutes which I think was down to substance abuse. I haven't read the book but presumably the episode is covered in some detail. I've never seen his name crop up when well known people with ICD's are mentioned. As a musician myself I would be interested if it's had any impact on his live perform...

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AV Delay

Has anyone had their settings changed for their AV Delay and Have you felt a difference? What is AV Delay and how can it make you feel worse or better?

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Sorry if I haven't answered private messages

As many of you know I am just recently back on the site after the death of my wife in April. Apparently the site was given a new face while I was away. I just discovered where my private messages are shown and also found that I had 117 messages with each message duplicated twice. Not only that they are all dated 03-17-2007 so I have no idea when they were sent. I just spent the time to delete them all one by one so my box is clear.
If anyone has sent me a private message that is still rele...

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Can my pacemaker shift after 2 years?!

Hello everyone;

Wow! I just found this site, pretty cool! I wish I would have found it two years ago when I first had my pacemaker implanted and was sulking because I felt like a failure, needing a pacemaker at 21 (I know these weren't rational thoughts! But weaning yourself off of pain medication doesn't always give you the clearest of heads!). Anyway, the reason I stumbled upon this site is because I've had this nagging, gnawing feeling that something's not right. I feel like my pac...

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chat

anyone feel like chatting, i really would like someone to talk to tonight
thx
pat

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Mammogram

I'm looking for an alternative to getting a mammogram. My doctor and my cardiologist are no help. Anyone have any suggestions? There must be some other kind of screening available.

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thanks

What a wonderfull website that has been created. I get on it every night and feel like I have shared experiences with several people in like situations. No one understands what you are going through both physically and psychologically when you go through this procedure and what you went through before the pacemaker which is why this website is so great! Thanks to whomever started this and made it possible for us to share experiences. I suggested a support group when I got my pacemaker in Feb...

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t-shirts

I am thinking about marketing t-shirts that say "I am battery operated" on the front with a pacemaker picture. On the back, they'd say "Pacemaker Proud". For $20-- would that interest anyone?

I am a 42 year old that feels way too young for my pacemaker, but I sure appreciate the way it has changed my life for the better!

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Medtronic remote assistant

Hi all,
I haven't posted for a long time. Had my annual PM check last week. Since my last check I have had a number of days where I get 5-6 strange episodes. My cardiologist thought they were vasovagal attacks. Anyway I expected that the PM check would not indicate anything as it had in the past, but this time it showed a number of strange beats, I'm not sure what, but the technician was checking for noise and mentioned ectopic and fast beats. So I now have a devise called a remote assistan...

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Feeling the PM

I am now entering week 2 since my PM implant. Does it ever get to the point when you no longer feel it or it stops restricting your movement. When I move my left arm, I can feel the pressure created of this metal device pushing against my shoulder. Does it settle overtime so that you regain complete mobility or is that something I should reckon with?

Stuie

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It's done!!!

Hi Everyone,

Well, the deed has been done. I got home about 4 hours ago, and am now the proud owner of a St Jude Medical 5826 PM, with an IsoFlex S 1645K Atrial lead and a St Jude 1688TC ventricular lead. I have no idea what any of the numbers etc actually mean, but apart from a very achey left arm, I feel great - Yey!!!

Valerie, can I add my new arrival to the PM birthday please? He/she hasn't got a name yet, but as he/she was 'born' today it makes them a 'Sagittauirus' ;...

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Keeping a job as a Police Officer

My husband is currently a police officer on the East Coast. He will be undergoing a procedure to have a difibrillator implanted soon. Just wondering if there are any other individuals in the same field who are currently working as a police officer or who have had to terminate their positions in the Police Force due to having an implantable Difibrillator. Police work is and has been his passion for many years. I just don't like the idea that maybe his passion will be stripped away. So again the...

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CardioNet

I have recently seen a posting with reference to a CardioNet monitor someone wore for 21 days. I am currently connected for 14 days. It was just activated late last night. I am finding it a bit annoying as I have to carry the monitor with me and it beeps when I am out of range. I guess it is a small inconvenience if it gives my doctor a clue into why I am short of breath and feeling strange again after 17 months with my PM. Things were pretty good for the first 12-14 months and then some of...

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Vegas Trip

Just an update, I just got back last night. (Sat.) from my Vegas Bowling trip, I thought I would let everyone know the results. I won a sweeper event and placed in both tourney's I bowled in. I won $2400.00 bowling. Better yet I won just a hair over $3000.00 on Keno. Now that's a great trip you don't usually win at Keno. So I had a great time , felt great all week and drove straight through going home. That is a twelve hour trip. Had no problems health-wise at all. I am looking forward to the ne...

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Thanks for the feedback

To Aldeer and Smitty,

Thank you so much for your feedback. It was much appreciated.

Stuie

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defibulator implant

Hello, I had a defibulator implanted under my breast on October 5th. It was a one night stay and the surgeon told me it would take longer than in surgery than if I put it in the usual place, but that's ALL he told me. It's now been almost 8 weeks, my breast is swollen and there are sharp pains. Has anyone else had a defibulator placed as I have, and if so, how long will this pain go on? I'm about to say take the darn thing out...

Many thanks for a response.

Kate

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PM and Meds

Hi again,

l am relatively new to PM and this club so first let me say hi to all of you. I have afib and high BP. The beta-blocker (ZIAC) I was taking was slowing my irregular heart down to much so I had a dual chamber Guidant Insignia PM implanted on November 13th. At that time I was switched to Toprol for the high blood pressure and there is come discussions about being put on Coumadin. Do any of you have a similar situation. I have heard some negative comments about Toprol on other...

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Violin, I am confused.....

Violin,

Your post states you are still "winded" and ask for input from club members. Yet in a comment to Michelle Susan's post you state you are a PHYSICIAN and advise her to get a 2nd opinion. Why would you not follow your own advice and see your EP or seek another opinion? Don't you have medical care immediately available to you? Surely you have colleagues you can go to for opinions. Can you see why I say I am confused? Good luck and God bless.

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You know you're wired when...

Your old device becomes a paper weight for your desk.

Member Quotes

I finished 29th in London in 2 hours 20 minutes 30 seconds which is my fastest with or without a device so clearly it didn’t slow me down ! I had no problems apart from some slight chaffing on my scar - more Vaseline next time.